Nicotine Facts

Why do we teach kids about smoking?

Cigarette Smoke

Chemicals found in cigarette smoke There are 100s of chemicals in the smoke The most dangerous are

Tar Nicotine Carbon Monoxide

What is Tar?

Damage lung tissue Considered main cancer causing agent

What is Nicotine?

Enters the body through smoking or chewing Poison found in tobacco leaves Effects the brain within four seconds of

entering the body Narrows blood vessels Creates addiction in the brain

Addiction and Tolerance

Addiction – the mental and physical need for a drug

Tolerance – the body’s increasing need for a

drug to get the same effect.

Once you build up tolerance your body is getting physically addicted.

Nicotine’s Effects

Short Term Effects

Long Term Effects

What’s the difference??

Short Term Effects

Reduced oxygen to the lungs and body Increased Heart Rate Increased Blood Pressure“Smokey” Cloths and HairCoughLight-headed feeling from Nicotine Rush

Long Term Effects

Heart Disease Lung Cancer Mouth / Throat Cancer Bronchitis Emphysema Yellow Skin and Teeth Facial Wrinkles

Reasons to Quit

The body begins to repair itself as soon as a person stops smoking.

Heart Rate returns to normal after about 20 minutes without Nicotine.

Second Hand Smoke no longer effects those around you.

Money is saved from the cost of smoking.

$7per day X 365 = @$2,550 per year

Second Hand Smoke

The dangers of second hand smoke are the same as a regular smoker

The amount and depth of inhalation influences the degree of absorption.

If we can figure out why people start, we can help ourselves not start